Zero suppressing means for printing machines



Jan. 8, 1952 w. T. GOLLWITZER 2,581,649

ZERO SUPPRESSING MEANS FOR PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed June 12, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l loo INVENTOR. Zl/a/ter .7: qollwz' er A TTOEHEYJ Jan. 8, 1952 w. T. GOLLWITZER ZERO SUPPRESSING MEANS FOR PRINTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 12, 1946 INVENTOR. Zia/M12361 WW -44M A TTORNEYJ Jan. 8, 1952 w. 'r. GOLLWITZER 2,581,549

ZERO SUPPRESSING MEANS FOR PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed June 12, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 if :fiimfifl A 770E195 YJ Patented Jan. 8, 1952 ZERO SUPPRESSING MEANS FOR PRINTING MACHINES v Walter T. Gollwitzer, Euclid, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Wilmington, Del a corporation of Delaware Original application June 12, 1946, Serial No. 676,329. Divided and this application January 2, 1948, Serial No. 279

1 Claim. (01. ion-es) This application is a division of my copending parent application Serial No. 676,329, filed June 12, 1946, now Patent No. 2,501,444 dated March 21, 1950. a

This invention relates to zero suppressing.

mechanisms for use in variably settable numerical printing machines.

Zero suppressing mechanisms are usually used in variable printers that are associated with accumulators, and when it becomes desirable to utilize such accumulators for what is termed split field operation, it is necessary to coordinate such zero suppressing means with the division of fields to be used in the accumulator. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to simplify and facilitate such coordination; and a related object is to enable the zero suppressing means to be readily modified and put in place in association with a variable numerical printer.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the adding unit which is disclosed in detail in Figs. 37 to 90 of my aforesaid parent application, and which primary elements of the zero suppressing mechanism in operated positions;

Figs. 3 and 4 are elevation views showing details of a part of the zero suppressing pawl unit;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the zero suppressing pawl unit;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of such pawl unit; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view thereof. In the form chosen for disclosure herein, the invention is utilized in affording the zero suppressing means for an addingmachine "it which i is disclosed in detailin my aforesaid parent ap- 2 plication in Figs. 37 to QOthereof. The adding machine itil embodies a frame having spaced side. plates it! and [92 that are rigidly associated in the desired spaced relation by a plurality of, spacer bars H33. The frame that is thus afforded is adapted to be mounted as for example on a mounting plate Hi4 so that the side plates Evil and Hill are disposed in a vertical or upstanding relationship. The frame. that is thus afforded also has another upstanding side plate I05 disposed, to the left and in spaced relation with respect to the side plate llll so that a main cam shaft is of the machine may be extended throughandsupported byithe several. plates lfll, W2 and It!) near the lower edges thereof as will be evident in Fig. 1.

The adding machine lilll embodies a variable printing mechanism Hi9, Fig. 1, and accumulator mechanism 2 iii, and the variable printing mechanism Hi9 and the accumulator mechanism I it are adapted to be operated by a plurality of horizontally movable slides ill that are mounted for reciprocating movement in a horizontal direction between the side plates of the frame. In the entry of numerical amounts into the variable printing mechanism I09 and the variable accumulator mechanism 1 ii) the slides HI are settable in accoi'dance with the desired numerical amounts by set up mechanism l i2 that is mounted forwardly of the frame by means of side plates [[3 that are secured at ll lto the side plates lfil and I932. The setupmechanism I I2 as herein shown, is so constructed and arranged so as to be settable by means operating in accordance with the five-element code as described in said parent application.

As will hereafter become evident, the setting movements of the slides III, as such setting movements are governed by the setup mechanism l I 2, are utilized to set the variable printing mechanism I09 for printing the setup numerical amounts upon a strip of paper P that is withdrawn from a roll R carried in a paper feed mechanism H5. such web of paper P being advanced beneath a platen roller Ht so as to be disposed at the printing position over a plurality of settable type segments II! that form part of the variable printing mechanism I99. It will be recognized of course that an inked ribbon is disposed between the web of paper P and the type segments ll! so that impressions may be made from the type segments on to the paper P in accordance with the set-up of the variable printing mechanism I09.

The movements of the slides III are also utilized to introduce numerical amounts into the accumulator mechanism I I0, which as illustrated in Fig. 2, embodies three accumulators identified as ACI, AC2 and AC3. The three accumulators that are thus anorded are mounted as will nereinaIter-be described between a pair of relatively small side plates I28 and lil thereby to afford a separate mounting for the accumulator unit III], and the side plates IIJI and H32 have relatively wide openings or slots I22 formed therein to extend forwardly from the rear edges of these side plates so that accumulator unit IIil may be moved forwardly into the slots I22 and into position beneath the slides III. The unit H is then secured in position with respect to the main frame of the machine.

The slides III have longitudinal slots I24 formed therein, and these slides are mounted for horizontal sliding movement on supporting bars I25 that are extended between the side frames WI and I02, and one such slide II'I is'aiforded for each order of the accumulator. The several slides III. are maintained in the desired spaced relationship on the supporting bars I25 by comb bars I27 that are also disposed so as to extend through the slots I24 and are connected to the side plates IM and I02. At their rear ends slides III have upstanding ears I28 and springs I29 are extended from the ears I28 in a forward direction so as to be connected at their forward ends on anchoring bars I30 that are in turn supported by the side plates WI and I02. The slides III are individually urged by the springs I29 in a forward direction from the normal or restored positions thereof shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the forward or setting movements of the individual slide bars I II are controlled by the'set up mechanism H2. The slide bars III are returned to their normal or rest positions of Fig. 2 by a restoring bail I3I, the cross bar of which is disposed within a slot I32 that is formed in the upper edges of all of the slide bars III,

and the slot I32'affords arear end edge I32A that may be engaged by the cross bar of the bail I3I to move all of the slides III rearwardly to their restored positions. The restoring bail' I3I is mounted on a rock shaft I33 and is adjustably connected theretoby means of a screw thread device I34. The rock shaft I33 has an arm I35 extended downwardly therefrom as shown in Fig. Land a cam roller I36 on the lower end of the arm I35 engages a restoring cam fixed on the main cam shaft I08 of the machine as shown in said parent application. The cam is of such a configuration that when the rotation of the cam shaft I08 is started from the initial or rest position, the bail I3I will be moved forwardly or in a counterclockwise direction as illustrated in Fig. 2 and this permits forward or setting movement of the slides III under control of the set up mechanism II2. After the slides III have thus been set up, and in the last half of the cycle of operation of the machine, the cam rocks the restoring bail in a clockwise direction so as to thereby move the slides III into the normal or restored position of Fig. 2.

The forward or setting movement of the slides III are governed by the set up mechanism I I2 so as to set the slides III in accordance with any I mechanism I I0- When the slides I II are moved to set positions under control of the setup mechanism I I2, as hereinbefore described, the type segments I H are set up to corresponding positions so that, order by order, the type segments have corresponding type characters T03 disposed in printing position beneath the platen IIB. In accomplishing this set up operation of the type segments I If, each type segment is pivotally supported on an arm 241, the pivotal connection being effected at 248, but there being a spring 249 acting between the type segments and a bracket 250 formed on the arm 24! so as to pivot the type segment in acounterclockwisedirection toward the retracted or lower position of Fig. 2. 'Such lower position is governed by a cross bar250A upon which the type segments II'I ride in a slidable relation. Each arm 249 is adjustably carried upon a segment 25I that is mounted for rocking movement on a transverse shaft 252 extended between the side plates IOI and I02, and the segment has gear teeth 253 formed thereon and meshed with rack teeth 254 formed on the upper edge of the related slide III so that longitudinal setting movement of the slide III imparts corresponding setting movement of .a rocking character to the segment 25I and the type segment II'I that is carried thereby.

When the type segments II! have been individually set to the desired numerical or digital position such type segments are accurately aligned by means including aligning pawls 255 that engage aligning teeth 256, formed on the segments 25I' as will be evident in Fig. 2. This aligning mechanism is constructed and operated in the manner set forth in my aforesaid parent application.

After the type segments II! have thus been set up, and have been aligned as described in my aforesaid application, the type segments are actuated upwardly so as to produce impressions of the arms 285 of a bail 286, the arms 285 be- 7 ing pivoted on pins 281 that are mounted on the side frames IOI and I02. The cross member of the bail 286 is engaged by a hook member 288 as shown in Fig. 2'so that by actuation of the hook 288, the position of the bail 288 may be adjusted so as to thereby adjust the spring tension on the hammers 280. The hook 288 is extended through a cross rod 209 and has an adjusting member 290 threaded on the upper end thereof for attaining such adjustment of the spring tension. j

The hammers 280 are held in their retracted or downward positions of' Fig. 7 by a latch bar 292 that engages corresponding teeth 293 formed on the respective hammers 280, and the latch bar 292 is mounted asthe cross member of a bail that includes a pair of arms 294 fixed on opposite ends of a rock shaft 295. The rock shaft 285 is mounted for rocking movement between the sides plates IM and I02, and the arm 294 that is disposed just outside of the sideplate I0l has a bell crank extension 294A formed thereon so as to extend in a forward direction. The arm 294 has a link 298, Fig. 1, extended downwardly therefrom and connected at its lower end to a lever 291. The lever 291 is pivoted intermediate its ends and is associated at its opposite end with 1 hammer trip cam that is fixed on the main cam shaft 108 as disclosed in my aforesaid parent application. After the slides 111 have been moved through their setting movement, the latch bar 292 is actuated or released by the action of a trip cam, and such release of the hammer trip or latch bar 292 takes place just prior to the completion of the first half of the operating cycle of the machine.

While all of the hammers 280 are released in each machine cycle by release of the trip bar 292, means are afforded for attaining additional control of the hammers 280 so that zeros will not be printed in those orders above the highest order in which a figure digit is to appear, and such means are also effective to insure that zeros will be printed in those orders below the aforesaid highest order and in which a figure digithas not been set up in printing position. Such means constitute what are known as zero suppressing means, and are governed by the setup movement of the type segments 1 11 and serve to additionally control the hammers 280. As thus shown in Figs. 2, 5, 6 and '1, a sub-assembly 305 of zero suppressing pawls 306 is mounted just forwardly of the segments 251, Fig. 2, for cooperation with such segments and with the hammers 280. The assembly 305, Figs. 3 to '1, includes a mounting shaft 301 along which a plurality of pawls 306 are mounted for rocking movement relative to such shaft, and a spacing plate 308 is secured by screws 309 to the shaft 301. This spacing plate has comb sections 310 and 311 formed along opposite edges thereof and the comb section 310 is arranged to engage the portions of the pawls 306 that are adjacent to the mounting shaft 301 thereby to space such pawls in proper relation along the shaft 301. The comb section 311 is formed as a flange along the other edge of the plate 308 so that the comb elements thereof extend between the forwardly projecting arms of the pawls 306. Each of the pawls 306 has an ear or lug 312 that is extended laterally therefrom in a right-hand direction as viewed in Fig. 7, and these lugs 312 are so related that each lug overlies the adjacent pawl 306 that pertains to the next lower order of the mechanism.

The assembly 305 of zero suppressing pawls is arranged to be readily removable from the machine, for in practice it is often desirable to substitute different zero suppressing assemblies, or to modify the zero suppressing assembly so as to enable split-field operation of the machine to be readily attained, and for this purpose, the mounting shaft 301 has mounting bars 314 fixed on the opposite ends thereof. At least one of the mounting bars 310 is flanged inwardly as at 314A at one end, and a slot 314B in the flange embraces the plate 308, thereby to hold the assembly in a position determined by the bar 31 1. The zero suppressing assembly 305 is adapted for insertion into the position shown in Fig. 2 through an opening 315 formed in the side plate 101 of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, and when the assembly 305 is in position, it is secured in place by screws 31 6 that are passed through the bars 314 and into one of the adjacent side frames 101 and 102. When the assembly 305 is thus in position, the respective pawls 306 are disposed in alignment with the segments 251 to which they are allocated. Each of the pawls 306 has a tooth 306A that is disposed opposite a. cut away corner 318 of a segmental extension 310 of the segment 251, and the extension 319 affords an arcuate surface 320 that is concentric with the shaft 252. When a type segment 111 is in its zero position, the tooth 306A is opposite the cut away corner 318, and the pawl 306 may therefore be rocked in a clockwise direction from the posi-, tion of Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 2A wherein the end of the pawl 306 is opposite a tooth 321 formed on the related hammer 280. When a pawl 306 is thus positioned as shown in Fig. 2A, it will act as a latch that will prevent an operative stroke of the related hammer 280, even though the main latch bar 292 is released. The assembly 305 also has a guide comb 322 engaging the teeth 306A, this comb being mounted on radial studs 322A fixed on the shaft 301.

When a type segment 111 is moved from its zero position, the arcuate surface 320 moves into position opposite the tooth 306A of the related pawl 366. Thus the pawl 306 is held in its inactive position of Fig. 2, thereby to enable the related hammer 280 to operate through a printing stroke when the latch bar 292 is released.

The several pawls 306 normally rest in the ineffective positions shown in Fig. 2, and after the type segments 1 11 have been set, and prior to the time when the latch bar 292 is released, the several pawls 305 are urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring means so that such pawls may be moved to their effective positions in those instances where operation of the related hammers 280 is to be prevented. The spring means for thus operating the pawls 306 are afforded by a comb spring 325 having individual arms disposed beneath their respective pawls 306, and the comb spring 325 is mounted on a rock shaft 326 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The rock shaft 326 is extended outwardly through the side plate 101, Fig. 1, and has an operating plate 321 fixed thereto. A spring 329, Fig. 1, acting on the plate 321 urges the rock shaft 326 in a clockwise direction, thereby to disengage the comb spring 325 from the pawls 306. When the spring 325 is to be rendered effective, the operating plate 321 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction by a link 330 that is pivoted to the plate 321 and extends downwardly therefrom as viewed in Figs. 1 and 1A. and is operatively associated with a cam 331 mounted on the shaft 108. Such association is efiected by means including a bell crank 332, Fig. 1A pivoted at 333 and having a roller 334 at one end there of riding on the cam 331. The rod 330 is pivoted to the other end of the bell crank 332., as shown in Fig. 1A.

When the hammers 280 have thus been operated, a restoring movement is applied thereto almost immediately so as to complete the hammer restoring movement prior to the time when the restoring of the slides 111 is initiated. Thus, the hammer restoring bail 335, shown in Fig. 2, operates as disclosed in my aforesaid parent application to restore the hammers to their retracted positlon, as shown in Fig. 2 and the latch bar 292 becomes effective to retain the hammers in this position when the bail 335 is returned in a clockwise direction to its normal or rest position of Fig. 2. During such hammer restoring operation, the cam 331 releases its downward pull on the rod 330, and hence the comb spring 325 rocks to its ineffective position of Fig. 2 and the pawls 306 similarly return to their normal or ineffective positions.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that the present invention affords a zero 7 V suppressing means in the form of an independ ently removable unit which serves,.of course, to facilitate modification of the unit for split f eld operation as by bend ng or removal of one or more of the transfer ears from the pawls of such unit; and since the related actuating springs for operation of such unit are normally in retracted positions, the insertion and removal of the unit may be readily and easily accomplished.

Thus, While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims f I claim:

In a multiple-order settable numerical printer having a pair of side frames, a plurality of settably mounted type-carriers mounted between said side frames and allocated to successive numerical orders from a highest order to a lowest order, said carriers having numerical type characters thereon for printing digits from 1 to 9 and zero, setting means for differentially setting the respective type carriers for printing any selected digit from 1 to 9, said setting means being normally operable to dispose said carriers in zeroprinting positions, a plurality of individual printing hammers mounted between said side frames and spring urged from retracted positions to striking positions and allocated to the respective carriers for effecting printing of the set-up characters of the respective type carriers, restoring means for retracting said hammers, a common hammer latch for all of said hammers for retaining' the same in said retracted positions and for concurrently releasing all of the hammers for striking movement, and spring means disposed between said side frames and shiftable between normal retracted positions and active positions and embodying individual yielding spring ele- QJSLMS ments allocated tot e r sp c ive orders and 11s p sed r s ec vely in substantial y the same plan s as th hammer ha a all cated to (2 d ng rd s t e. c mbinat o ii a ep ce able zero suppressing means comprising a mount.= ing shaft, a plurality of L-shaped zero suppress.- ing pawls mounted onrsaid shaft and allocated to the respective orders, ears formed on said pawls to transfer movement from any of said pawls to the p wls of he ext l w der, com plate means secured on said shaft and engaging the pawls to. spac a d u e the same. and a mountin memb r carr n a d Shaft and en REFERENCES, orrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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